Apparatus for manufacturing smokeless powder.



PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

G. W. GENTIEU. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING SMOKELESS POWDER.

Alfornep APPLICATION FILED APR.16. 1906.

' INVENTOR UNITED STATES GEOR GE IV. GEI TIE U,

, PATENT ()FFIOE.

or IPEORIA, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed April 16, 1906- Serial 110.312.0131.

To all 1117110111 it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WTGENTIEU,

' a citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county ofPeoria and State of Illinois, have-invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Manufacturing Smokeless Powder; and I dohereby declare the followin to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same;

My invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described,reference being had to the accompanying drawing which illustrates oneform in which I have contemplated embodying my invention and theinvention is fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

My present invention relates to an im- )roved apparatus formanufacturing smokc less gun powder in accordance with my improvedprocess which forms the subject matter of my application for LettersPatent of the United States, filed April 2, 1906 and given Serial No.309,485, although it may be usedfor any other purpose for which it maybe applicable, and it includes a receptacle or tank, fitted with anywell known form of stirring devices, a spraying nozzle for discharging asolvent supply into said receptacle or tank, a solvent supply, a liquidforcing .de-

vice located between said solvent supply and the nozzle, and anautomatic safety valve located in such position that a constant pressurewill be maintained upon the solvent delivery, all of which are morefully hereinafterdescribed.

The main objects of my invention are to produce a simple inexpensive,ellicient apparatus for the manufacture of smokeless powder, and one inwhich the solvent may be applied to the moist explosive.material in theform of a minute stream of high velocity, de-

' livcred in a downward direction, contrary to the upward movement ofthe material agitated in the receptacle, the said stream of solventbeing delivered at a constant known rate of pressure, which isaccomplished by the arrangement of the different parts of the ap)aratus.

'ihc effect on the explosive material bythe use of this apparatus, is toproduce a conipact form of smokeless powder grain, in a comparativelyshort time and without the use of heat. The results secured bytreatoriginal stability of the explosive-material which is treated.

Referring to the drawing, Figure represents a sectional view partly inelevation of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailsectional view of the spraying device and valve controlling the same.Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of the spraying nozzle.

In the drawings A represents a receptacle or tank, preferablycylindrical in form, supported in any desired manner and provided withman holes at top and bottom closed by man hole covers .i, G for theintroduction and removal of the material to be treated. A stirrer shaftor axle B passes through the cylindrical tank A. is mounted in suitablebearings and provided with driving means such as pulleys b of differentdiameters, as shown, for driving it at various speeds. ithin the tank A,the shaft 13 is provided with a series of radially disposed agitatingarms or blades C for the purpose of tossing the materialoperated uponupward and tho!- oughly agitating it the arms or blades are preferablyarranged spirally around the axle and are of equal length, their outerends extending to near the inner surface of the wall of the cylindricaltank.

J represents a small cylindrical tank which is used as a receptacle orreservoir to contain the li( uid solvent used in the manul'actureol'smokeless powder; fis the suction pipe connecting the reservoir J with asuitable pump F which may be a steam pump, as indicated in the drawing,or any other suitable form of liquid forcing device and the suction pipef is provided with a controlling valve {1 to shut oil' the supply ofliquid when desired.

f is the delivery or discharge pipe which leads from the pump I to aseries of jet valves l), I), 1) arranged to deliver the liquid intheform of a line spray, and with great force and velocity into theinterior of the tank A.

II is a safety valve arranged in the pipe f and provided with anadjustable weight'by means of which the valve can be set to open at acertain pressure and deliver the surplus solvent through a by-pass pipe71 from said valve back to the-reservoir J, thus maintaining a constantressurc upon the liquid in the pipe fi'rom the pump to the sprayingnozzle, which pressure can be regulatml from time to time by means ofthe weight (in-the ment in this apparatus do not affect the lever of thesal'etv valve It.

' One of the jet valves D is shown in detail m Fig. 2, in section andconsists of a hollow body (I provided at opposite ends with screwconnections, said hollow body being provided at one side with a tubularextension d having an enlarged bore at the end adjacent to the valvebody terminating in a needle valve seat (Z and being provided with afine bored passage extending from the needle valve seat to the end ofthe extension (1. The outer-end of the extension (1 is threaded on itsexterior and is provided with a shoulder (Z in this instance in the formof a nut to engage the exterior of the wallof the tank A. d"-represe'nts a spraying nozzle illustrated in detail in Figs. 3 and 4 andwhich is adapted to be-screwed onto the end of the extension d. Thisnozzle is fanshaped and is provided with an interiorly threaded apertureat its inner end foren gaging the extension (1, and with a series ofdiverging passages cl extending from said threaded aperture to the outerend of the nozzle. I also prefer to provide the outer end oftheextension (1 with a flaring recess communicating with the fine bore, asshown,

in order to insure a supply of liquid to all .of the"p.assages in thespraying nozzle.

T he hollow body dis provided on the side opposite the extension (1 witha boss (1.

which may be formed integrally with the hollow body or separately andattached thereto and this boss is threaded interiorly to receive thethreaded portion of a needle valve (1 which extends through the hollowbody (Z and has its endengaging the seat i The boss d..i s alsoexternally threaded to receive'the usual packing gland (i which isrecessed to contain rubber or other packing surrounding the needle valvestem and the needle valve stem is provided at its outer end with a handwheel d", or other suitable device for adjusting it.

The operation: of my improved apparatus, in carrylng out "in y improvedprocess before referred to, is as follows: A quantity of nitrocelluloseof a suitable degree of nitration is ground or pulped to a finer statethan is ordmarily required in the present methods of making smokelesspowder and is treated in a centrifugal wringer to deprive it of aportion of its moisture, but leaving a certain percentage of moisturetherein, preferably from 15% to 40%. The nitro-cellulose is then chargedinto the tank;A by means of the man hole G and the shaft or axle B isrotated at the de sired speed to toss and agitate the nitrocellulose bymeans of the arms or blades C. A suitable solvent which is miscible orsoluble in water has previously been introduced intothe reservoir J andthe pump F being set in motion, the solvent is drawn through the suctionpipe f, the valve 9 being open, and is delivered under considerableressure through the pipcf to the jet valves into the material with greatforce, breaking it into smaller particles or grains and at the same timecombining with the water present in. the nitro-cellulose to effect adeterrent colloiding of the nitro-cellulose, thus enabling the grains tobecome colloided slowly'and uniformly throughout the entire mass ofmaterial. The safety valve H will ordinarily be set to open at about 125pounds to the square inch, although I do not limit myself to the exactpressure, which may be-varied as desired. l/Vhenthe pressure in the pief exceeds that for which the safety valve is set, the valve will openslightly and deliver a suflicient uantity'of the liquid through theby-pass h back to the reservoir'J, to relieve excess pressure and bythismeans the pressure from the pum to the jet nozzles is main taineduniform. In order to insure the delivery of the liquid under this highpressure,

the pump F is arranged to have a greater de- I livering capacity thanthe combined orifices of the nozzles d. After colloiding the grains theyare removed through the lower man .hole G and placed in any suitablesolvent recovery apparatus not shown,'and subjected to a temperature notexceeding 43 C., to dry the grains and recover the solvent.

In attaching-the jet valves and nozzles to the tank A as clearly shownin Figs. 1 and.2, apertures are'provided in the top of the tank wall topermit thepassage of the threaded end of the extension (1 of each ofthese devices, so as: to bring the shoulder (1 against the outer surfaceof the Wall. The nozzles d are then screwed onto the threaded ends ofthe extension (1 and engage the inner surface of the tank wall, thussecurely clamping the nozzles and jet valves in position.

The process for the manufacture of smokeless powder before described, isnot claimed .herein'as it forms the subject matter ofmy former aplication before referred to.

What i claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I 1. Apparatusfor the manufacture of smokeless powder, comprising among its members,ajreceptacle, stirring devices located therein, a spraying nozzledischarging within said receptacle, a li uid. supply connected to saidnozzle, and a fiquid forcing device interposed between said liquidsupply and'said nozzle having a greater capacity than the deliveryorificesof said nozzle, and automatic pressure-relieving device formaintaining an uniform pressure on. the nozzles, substantially asdescribed.

2. In apparatus for the manufacture of smokeless powder; the-combinationwith a D and receptacle, stirring devices located therein, a

spraying nozzle located adjacent to the upper part of said receptacleand discharging downwardly therein, and a liquid forcing de viceconnected to said nozzle, means for maintaining an uniform pressure ofthe liquid at the nozzle, and a regulating device for varying thepressure at which the liquid is discharged, substantially as described.

3. Apparatus for the manufacture of smokeless powder, comprising amongits members, a receptacle, stirring devices located therein, a sprayingnozzle discharging within said receptacle, a liquid supply for per partof said receptacle and said nozzle, a liquid forcing device connectedtherewith, a pipe from said forcing device to said nozzle, a by-passfrom said pipe to the liquid supply and an automatic pressure op' eratedvalve for controlling said by-pass, substantially as described.

. 4. Apparatus for the manufacture of smokeless powder, comprising amongits members, a receptacle, stirring devices located therein, a sprayingnozzle discharging within said receptacle, a liquid supply for saidnozzle, a liquid forcing device connected therewith, and havin a greatercapacity than-the discharge orifices which it supplies, a pipeconnecting said forcing device with said nozzle, a by-pass connectedwith said pipe and leading to said liquid supply, and an adjustablepressure operated valve controlling said by-pass, substantially asdescribed 5. In apparatus forthe manufacture of smokeless powder, thecombination with a receptacle, stirring devices located therein, aspraying nozzle located adjacent to the updischarging downwardlytherein, and a liquid forcing device connected to said nozzle, andapressure operated valve located between the liquid forcing device andthe nozzle for regulating the pressure of the liquid delivered from saidnozzle, substantially as described.

6. An apparatus for the manufacture of smokeless powder, comprisingamong its members, a tank, stirring devices located therein, a spraycontrolling valve located outside of the tank, and having-a tubularextension, passing through the tank, a spraying nozzle, secured to saidextension within the tank and provided with a plurality of dischargepassages, a li uid forcing device connected with said va ve, and anautomatic pressure operated valve interposed between said pump and saidspray controlling valve, for maintaining an uniform pressure upon theliquid supplied to said nozzle, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affir my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE W. GENTIEU.

Witnesses:

WALTER O. BIENEMANN, E. 'M. GILES.

